Are you a homeowner who has to split logs, but you don’t have the budget of affording a log splitter? Don’t worry, there are still ways to split logs without a log splitter.
Splitting logs without a log splitter is possible thanks to the wide variety of tools available in the market. There are many alternatives like auger splitter, lever axe, table saw, kindling cracker, wedge and hammer, and more. You don’t necessarily need to have a log splitter for splitting wood. Now you know more than enough alternatives that will be easy on your wallet.
In this article, you’ll get to know all about splitting logs without a log splitter, how to split wood without a log splitter, the alternatives to a log splitter, and more. Continue reading to get all the answers that you’re looking for.
How to split wood without a log splitter
If you often find yourself in this tricky situation where you have to cut wood, but you don’t have a log splitter. You’re having logs that need to be split, but there is no log splitter to do the job. You might not own a log splitter, or you might have one, but it could be broken beyond repair, and you didn’t have the opportunity to purchase a new one. If you’re in this situation, you can breathe a sigh of relief that it is possible to split logs even if you don’t have a log splitter.
If you have regular demands of splitting wood but haven’t got a log splitter, then you’ll be glad to know there are many alternatives. Here are some of the possible alternatives that will help you with how to split wood without a log splitter.
How to split logs without a log splitter?
Splitting wood is a rather basic survival skill, especially during cold weather. If you don’t have a log splitter, you might find it the easiest thing to do. The solution is to find other alternative means of cutting wood. You’ll be glad to know that there are a few rather innovative ways of doing that. Meanwhile, there are always ways that have been around for a long time. The key here would be to find the right way that works for you and allows you to get firewood ready for winter.
1. Auger splitter
An Auger Splitter is a tried-and-tested tool that has been around for a long time. It comes in different varieties, some of which are designed to be bolted onto a lawn tractor’s axle, whereas others work independently as they’re powered by an electric motor. The idea here is that the auger is like a big screw that is driven into the log. However, the screw gets wider pretty fast. This means it ends up acting like a wedge, pushing against the log from the inside and breaking the wood.
While extremely effective, auger splitters are a bit on the expensive side. If you’ve got a good motor sitting around, you will be able to save yourself a great deal of money by purchasing only the auger screw and then using it with your motor or axle.
2. LeverAxe
A LeverAxe is a totally redesigned axe, and it is designed to make splitting logs much easier. This tool has come off one of the crowd-funding sites recently and the price went up drastically. Even at such a high price, the tool is well worth the money, as it makes the job of splitting wood significantly easier.
The off-center head of the LeverAxe will act as a wider wedge than it actually is. This happens because of the way the weight is acting against it. When looking at how a LeverAxe is used, the user doesn’t even have to lift it all the way like an axe or maul. You’ll only be lifting it around 2 feet above the log that is to be split. It looks a lot easier to split wood, especially if you’re going to split larger logs.
3. Kindling cracker
This is yet another innovative tool for splitting logs. The log should be set into a holder that is sitting on the axe head. Once the back end of the log is struck, it’ll push the log down onto the axe head and split it. This is a great choice for people who have poor aim or don’t have the strength to swing a maul with the force needed for splitting. While it might need multiple strikes for some people to split a log, but it’ll definitely work.
4. Wedge and Hammer
Do you have a wedge and hammer lying around in your house? Great, it’s time you should bring them out and put them to good use. You will find that it’s pretty easy to split logs using a Wedge and Hammer. You should just take the wedge and then place it on the end of the log. Then, take the hammer and drive the wedge into the wood. Lastly, admire your ingenious handiwork. A simple process, but it’s still a labor-intensive one compared to using a log splitter.
Of course, when you don’t have a log splitter with you, other methods you might use could have a few disadvantages. Using a wedge and hammer method is rather time-consuming. If you’ve got 20 logs of wood that you need to be split by nightfall, opting for the wedge and hammer approach might not be the best option. However, if you’ve only got a small amount of wood to split or just need to split a bit for firewood to keep you warm for the night, the wedge and hammer method might be ideal for you. Of course, as is the case when using a log splitter, make sure that you’re taking good care as you work.
5. Table saw
Some people might call this cheating, but you can always split a log easier by cutting it partially through on the table saw. You should just cut along the log’s length, ripping it in different spots. Then, when you’re hitting it with an axe, wedge, or maul, the wood is already partially split. All you really need to split is the center part of the log, which the blade can’t reach.
Be careful when you’re pushing the log through the saw. You wouldn’t want your fingers to split the blade accidentally. Nor do you want the log to twist as you push it through. Doing so might cause the log to bind up the blade, acting as a brake. It could either bring the saw to a stop or even cause the log to be thrown by the saw’s blade.
6. Smart splitter
A Smart Splitter is a simple device that uses weight as the driving power for splitting logs. The device has to be mounted to a stump or log that’s being used as a work surface. Logs that are to be split are then set on the work surface, and they end up with the wedge of the Smart Splitter being used on them. The weight will then be raised and dropped, driving the wedge down into the end grain for splitting the log.
Similar to the wedge and hammer method, this isn’t really the fastest method of splitting wood. The weight will not provide as much force as swinging a maul would. However, it’ll still get the job done. Meanwhile, the chances of injury are quite low with this sort of method.
7. Build a counterbalanced splitter
One of the most ingenious ways of splitting logs is one where you take a maul head and mount it to a counterbalanced frame. It’ll give you the option to pull the head down, have it strike the wooden logs, and split them efficiently. Very little muscle strength is actually expanded, as the work is done entirely by the device built.
The idea isn’t commercially available, so you will need to build your own. However, it’s well worth giving a try, as it’s one of the most ingenious wood-splitting devices that you’ll see.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading. Hopefully, now you know a lot more about splitting logs without a log splitter, how to split wood without a log splitter, the alternatives to a log splitter, and more. Splitting logs without a log splitter is possible thanks to the wide variety of tools available in the market. There are many alternatives like auger splitter, lever axe, table saw, kindling cracker, wedge and hammer, and more. You don’t necessarily need to have a log splitter for splitting wood. Now you know more than enough alternatives that will be easy on your wallet.
